Support Dogs Announces Capital Campaign Efforts

Organization fundraises for new headquarters while celebrating 30th anniversary

PRLog - Jan. 30, 2013 - ST. LOUIS -- Support Dogs, Inc. recently announced its “Building Opportunities” campaign designed to raise funds for its new headquarters. The $3.5 campaign, which will be completed by August of 2013, has received to date more than $2 million thanks to the support of St. Louis businesses, corporate leaders and individuals.

Campaign co-chairpersons include Pat Stokes, retired CEO at Anheuser-Busch, and his wife Aja; Warner Baxter, president and CEO at Ameren Missouri, and his wife Cynthia; Steve Lipstein, president and CEO at BJC, and his wife Susan, and; Craig Schnuck, chair of the executive committee for Schnucks Markets.

The 21,000+-square-foot headquarters will be built at 10955 Linpage Place at the southeast corner of Page and Lindbergh. Groundbreaking is scheduled for June of 2013. Support Dogs has hired JEMA as the project’s architect and Kozeny Wagner, Inc. as the construction company. Holmes, Radford and Avalon are the project’s consultants.

The recently raised $2 million includes $150,000 from U.S. Bank, $100,000 from Ameren and approximately $1.8 million donated by local business and individuals.

“Timing is everything, so this campaign is perfect since we are currently celebrating our 30th anniversary,” said Bill Dahlkamp, executive director of Support Dogs. “We have outgrown our 8,000-square-foot facility due to expanded services plus our extensive volunteer base of more than 500 people. Our new home will be built to suit the organization’s specific programs, which serve everyone from the disabled and Deaf, to community veterans and children.”

Support Dogs, Inc. is a national non-for-profit organization that offers dignity, hope and independence by providing highly skilled service dogs to individuals with disabilities and uniquely trained dogs to serve the community. Founded in 1981, the organization provides many services including an Assistance Dog program which matches people with various disabilities with a canine partner, a pet visitation therapy dog program called TOUCH (Therapy of Unique Canine Helpers), and a Paws For Reading program that places dogs in school. Support Dogs, which is located at 11645 Lilburn Park Rd., is a proud member of the United Way of Greater St. Louis. For more information, call (314) 997-2325 or visit their website at www.supportdogs.org.